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I'm in favor of a game giving you freedom of choice over your sexuality; but I think a little care needs to be taken not to make the player uncomfortable by making it too easy to get involved in a romantic conversation that they would really rather not be having.

For example in Dragon Age Origins there is a bisexual male character named Zevran who made me as a heterosexual male a little uncomfortable not because he was bisexual; but because he came on very strong and it was very easy to inadvertently start flirting with him. Similarly when I was playing through Mass Effect 2 as a female character I got a little uncomfortable when I found myself inadvertently hitting on my male crew members. (On a side note I was also disappointed that I couldn't play the character as a lesbian as I did in Mass Effect 1).

The point being I'd like to see Bioware take a little more care in making the romantic dialogue choices more obvious to the player. Giving players a choice is great, just make it a clear choice because I don't want to give any more randy elves the wrong idea.

Let me ask everyone this, because I'm working on my own RPG (lead programmer/designer of Icecap):

Why does it matter that it is specifically sexuality that matters? Now, before you deride me I'm not questioning if it should be implemented (it should in RPGs such as this), but why do we care so much?

Why do we not have various religions, or a true "morality meter". You cannot, and I have done my research on this, truly do what you want to. I cannot say "F--- the princess". No matter how much you try, your game will be a lot shorter, and it is usually deemed as pure evil. Granted, I always play as good but still. Some might argue that this defeats the hero purpose. What constitutes a hero? No side/faction/anyone believes that they are the bad guy.

Can I not be motivated for something other than greed, revenge, love, or saving the princess? I'm talking things more specific that would still probably fall under the first three categories. Themes such as child abuse, would that not affect my character? I'm just tired of the cliche, one-sided, hell, TWO-sided characters that we have.

This is just a small step. Grow up and realize that people are different. Whatever your personal beliefs you have, remember that YOU are the character in YOUR game. This is what makes RPGs unique; we each have different experiences.

The only reason it's become a huge issue on the Bioware forums goes back to the fact Mass Effect is lacking a truly bisexual option for male Shepard.

Female Shepard has bi options with the characters Kelly, Liara, and any random asari stripper she can sit down, watch, and tip. I don't care what anyone says about asari, but in order for female Shepard to find an asari attractive, especially the very feminine Liara, she's going to be at least bisexual if not a full out lesbian.

Also some fans have found in the PC version of both ME1 and ME2, sound clips for pretty much every romance to be bisexual. Yes they have found cut sound clips of Kaidan and Thane with male Shepard. From my understanding, someone from Bioware came out to basically say male Shepard can't be bisexual or gay because they have a certain image for him that keeps him strictly straight.

As a result, you have the group who support bisexual/gay options and the group who are against it and they are both carrying their fight over into the DA2 universe.

This is a response to "AngelsandDemons" comment since it won't let me post a reply to him specificaly:

So you're saying that sexuality is a decision based on morality?

Also please note: Sexuality does not mean sex or the act of sex. They are not the same thing.

If Bioware did force a particular option like you mentioned they would con vie that sexuality is something you can turn on and off at will. That sexuality is a choice that we make based on principles and morality, but that is not and will never be the case. A individual's sexuality is never a choice.

Saying the game lets you choose whom to sleep with is a rather lazy statement. What should be said is that the game is free and open enough to allow you to express yourself. To form a connection within the game with any character. That allows the player to be themselves instead of forcing a specific sexuality.

Sexuality is never a/the choice. The choices lie within the situations that sexuality creates between characters. If you want an example, I suggest reading Romeo and Juliette. The two characters didn't choose to love each other, but because they do and have no control over their situation they have to make some of the most difficult choices two young people can make.

Adam get your FACTS STRAIGHT! Dragon Age 1 DID NOT do what your explaining here. It did not have Bi or Gay aspects in the game. It was HETRO only and people complained. This is the reason why it is the way it is in DA2.. So really what your saying is wrong is what people wanted. They wanted to romance ANYONE. If you were female you COULD NOT romance the witch in DA1. It was NOT written into the game and people did NOT like that.. Your complaining about what the masses wanted and the masses got what they wanted..

SUCK IT UP your off on this and YOU DID NOT read this in Bioware forums because if you did you would see what I am saying is fact and not your fiction.

Without bigotry the world would be grand! Unfortunately we live in this piss hole we call earth. That's why games are so popular today. Our world has gotten so vile that us younger people need a place to escape. The worse it gets the more gamers there will be, you watch.

Yeah, you better not play as a gay character or you'll "turn gay." Trans-gendered persons, on the other hand, they're just the best of both worlds, right?

Speaking of which, what about a Crying Game quest in which a hot lady hits on you, but one of the investigate options reveal more that just backstory? If you don't pay enough attention, then you watch a 20 minute love scene straight out of Bangkok.

Seriously, I can't empathize with digital characters at all. Of course a game can't make you gay; it can't make you anything. Maybe I'm a sociopath, but Shepard or Hawke or Lone Wanderer have nothing to do with me, they're characters in a choose-your-own-adventure book. It's awesome that these options are available in our little niche storytelling medium, but I don't get why someone would play a game like they would act in real life. It's a game; have some freaky experiences in Pretendland, where nobody judges you for your choices except that Good/Evil bar, and then come back into your boring real life. It's called Role-Playing for a reason.

Great Soapbox Adam. I'm not sure if I should laugh or cry at the fact that a virtual world that is on the verge of being destroyed by darkspawn, demons, witches, and other assorted evils is more accepting than the real world. Which is just in a bit of a slump right now, and really wasn't much better when it wasn't.

Awesome Soapbox, despite some of the strange criticisms here. "You talk too fast!" "That thing you mentioned was in the previous game! What's so special about it THIS time around? Why don't you just name every game that's ever had that thing in it or I'll correct you!" lol C'mon, people.

OK...so, I was thinking if and what if your sexual/romantic choice affected your gaming out comes?...Like, what if you have to go gay to get a specific item needed to slay the end boss. Now that would be interesting...the developer forcing this type of moral choice in trademark Bioware fashion.

Funny comment Adam. Going gay in the game doesn't make you gay, Adam; but, it definitely makes you bi-curious, no?...LOL.